Bhar do jholi meri ya Muhammad, laut kar main naa jaaunga khali…’ Even the more cynical among us swallowed a lump in the throat watching Adnan Sami’s impassioned plea (‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’). Admittedly, these moments are increasingly rare on the Hindi film screen.
“There was a time when every film had at least one Qawwali song, but the intrinsic nature of the traditional art form has faded in due course of time,” maintains Manjari Chaturvedi, Kathak dancer and Founder, Sufi Kathak Foundation. “What the present generation knows is only a distorted image of Qawwali.
Ranbir Kapoor in Kun Fayakun in Rockstar |
Hindi films have used the form of Qawwali to give an impetus for it to become a form of entertainment. However, in view of Bollywood’s cultural dominance, it becomes imminent that we preserve the correct poetic form for future generations, else this huge heritage will be lost forever, and only distorted versions of the poetry will remain,” she believes.
Which is not to suggest that the Qawwali hasn’t had its moments of stunning purity onscreen. Take the Aziz Ahmed Warsi-sung ‘Maula Salim Chisti, Aqa Salim Chisti…’, in ‘Garam Hawa’.
“It came closest to the original form as it was sung by a traditional Qawwal himself rather than a playback singer,” explains Chaturvedi. Or then the ethereal ‘Kun Faya Kun…’ from ‘Rockstar’, rendered by A R Rahman and Mohit Chauhan to Irshad Kamil’s lyrics, that unerringly touched souls.
The danger is to avoid mixing popular traditional lyrics with newer ones merely to suit populism. For Qawwali is so much more than just a stirring traditional art form. One of the most well-known forms of Sufi music, it is common to both India and Pakistan.
Popularised by the Chisti school of Sufism, it was traditionally performed at the Dargah shrines. As Chaturvedi explains, it can be understood as a medium through which the Sufi tradition of mehfil-e-sama, or "assembly for listening," is expressed, where believers create a link to religious ecstasy and to God for the performer and listener alike.
Its relevance continues as a cultural symbol to represent the essence of ‘unity in diversity’ of India. “Qawwali music is a cultural ideal emulated in practice. Several thinkers have been of the view that it is not confined to a limited section of the society such as among the higher classes/ castes or among the saints.
The teachings have successfully percolated down to the level of the masses,” avers Manjari. “It is because of this universal appeal and blending elements of Indian classical music and Sufi traditions that Qawwali has often served as a mechanism to promote communal harmony, and unity between different communities in India.
It blends together the mysticism and creates an aura of spiritual oneness. In the present era, it is this message of amity that needs to find foremost resonance for a sense of solidarity. Qawwali is rightfully part of the living history of the diverse cultures in India.”
And the qawwal is not just a musician or singer. As Qawwali singer Dhruv Sangari Bilal Chisty tells us, “He has to have the memory of a great storyteller, the sensitivity of a poet and a deep understanding of human emotion and its conscious and unconscious expressions.
There is no "me" in the musical offerings of Sufis, just a holding of others; the Qawwal’s discipline is obedience to the occasion and a commitment to his task, that of honouring the ‘buzurgs’ (saints) and helping the hearts of the true seekers, find their way…”
It is thus really not surprising that this ancient music form, which goes back to the 13th century, still manages to retain its intrinsic allure, with youth the world over online streaming the compositions of Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and other greats.
“The Qawwali compositions always have great lyrical value,” affirms author-Professor Yogesh Snehi. “The poems often are so powerful that they for centuries led social revolution, breaking the social, communal, religious differences among people and showing them the way to reach salvation.”
Speaking about the language of use, Snehi shares that the lyrics are mostly Persian, Arabic, Punjabi or ancient Indian language such as Awadhi and Braj Bhasha.
“These are the languages in which no one writes or speaks nowadays. Losing them will definitely be a loss of an entire era of man’s association with the mystic and call of human being for universal fraternity.”
Saif Mohammad, author and poetry and literature critic, maintains, “While its contours and layers may differ, the common thread that runs through Qawwali is a poetic thread predicated on love in all its forms as captured by the classic Urdu poet and, often, by a poet of dialect.”
As practitioners struggle to keep it alive in its traditional form, Manjari Chaturvedi believes it is important to focus on revival of this oral tradition and livelihood opportunities of its performing artists.
She is spearheading the upcoming ‘Understanding Qawwali’ symposium on November 30 in association with the Royal Opera House and Avid Learning. This seminar will also discuss the approaches necessary for artists, who are less educated, to attract financial support.
So, do we still need to ask the question we started out asking…?
